Alena Amialiusik third in Giro dell'Emilia

Image: @WMNcycling﻿

Alena Amialiusik from CANYON//SRAM Racing has finished third in yesterday's Giro dell'Emilia in Bologna, Italy. The Belarusian rider placed on the podium behind winner Elisa Longo Borghini (WHT) and Ashleigh Moolman (CBT) after a gruelling final climb.

The 99km race was in two extremes. The first 97km was a flat loop around the Emilia-Romagna capital of Bologna. The final 2.2km were a piercingly steep climb: the Colle della Guardia. After a 10% average and sections of 18% the race was won on the stunning climb to the Sanctuary of San Luca.

All six riders from CANYON//SRAM Racing were on the front of the peloton in the final kilometres. Mieke Kröger, Hannah Barnes and Tiffany Cromwell controlled the pace into the bottom of the climb, where Italian champion Elena Cecchini was the first to launch an attack. Once Cecchini was caught, it was then Trixi Worrack who attacked on the steepest section, a hairpin crowd-filled corner of the climb.

[powr-media-gallery id=4d130293_1474801383]

While Longo Borghini went away to victory Alena Amialiusik was pleased with her third place. "You know, I wanted to get a podium here. In the meeting I said I didn't know how I would feel in today's race. I have been on the road now for a few weeks and I wasn't confident that I was recovered enough."

"But my team supported me, and they all did a really nice job into the climb and then Elena and Trixi's attacks were also good on the climb. I just missed it in the last steep section. I'm happy with third today and we see what happens in tomorrow's race.

The team will line up today in the first women's edition of GP Bruno Beghelli in Monteveglio. Racing action starts at 10:00 (CEST) and can be followed on the team's Twitter @WMNcycling and using #GPBreghelli.